Any Home Brewers On Here?

[OnOff]

Been making beer and wine since I was about 12 but laid off from it for a few years now. Going to get back into it and figured I'd start off with a beer kit which I've done many times before. I used to always make it in a 5 gallon fermenting bin then bottle it in firstly screw cap Corona lemoade bottles then I moved on to Newcastle Brown bottles with proper crown corks as they were a pint. I bought and tried only ONCE the Rotokeg which my big bro reckoned was THE way to go.........it was a disaster tbh. Just discovered the keg in the depths of the shed. It needs a good clean and sterilisie and some new parts. Anyone else used them?

 

[kerching]

I make my wine from kits in 5 gallon fermenters.

Tried using water cooler bottles but too fiddly to sterilise

One day I may progress to "road kill" wine.....but for the moment it is the kits

Just fermenting

 

[M107]

My last home brew was for Christmas, must get another on the go.

 

[kerching]

We have been tasked with providing the wine for our daughters wedding

5 gals each of Rose, Merlot/shiraz and some white carp

Just brewing

 

[OnOff]

I miss the whole country wine thing from going out and picking the stuff to the prepping, racking, clearing etc and off course the satisfaction of sitting there with a glass held up to the light marvelling at how clear it is! A nice bit of escapism all round!

 

[kerching]

Imhave not yet advanced to foraging

There are some clever blokes who go in the local homebrew shop

One of them saw tins of tracle on offer in b and m bargains. Bought 20 of them, fermented with some yeast and other brewing alchemy.

Beejayzus it was good stuff, bes described as a fusion of brandy Vodka and Semtex

 

[M107]

fusion of brandy Vodka and Semtex :slap  

This thread made me root out the last 2 bottles of sloe gin, me & Mrs 107 are now an embarrassment according to the teenager. :Y

 

[kerching]

fusion of brandy Vodka and Semtex :slap  

This thread made me root out the last 2 bottles of sloe gin, me & Mrs 107 are now an embarrassment according to the teenager. :Y

WARNING......treat your children with respect........they will choose your retirement home!

 

[M107]

ray ................................ if I give her any more grief my retirement home will be  under the patio. :|

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

A friend and i used to make wine 25 years ago at his place. It had a certain taste although ok you just knew it was home brewed, this  didnt stop us drinking gallons of it.   Now be honest here, is it better nowadays ?

 

[Technician]

 Anyone else used them?

I have used and do use something similar.  Mine has the tap in the base and a gas up

connection in the lid, with a carrying handle over the top.  Cleaning them can be a sod;

So I use a technique similar to cleaning port decanters.  Roll some shot around the inside

with a strong cleansing solution within.  Yours looks like it will permit you to put your hand

in, am I right?

 

[kerching]

A friend and i used to make wine 25 years ago at his place. It had a certain taste although ok you just knew it was home brewed, this  didnt stop us drinking gallons of it.   Now be honest here, is it better nowadays ?

The new kits are excellent.......i KNOW!

Just saying

 

[OnOff]

I have used and do use something similar.  Mine has the tap in the base and a gas up

connection in the lid, with a carrying handle over the top.  Cleaning them can be a sod;

So I use a technique similar to cleaning port decanters.  Roll some shot around the inside

with a strong cleansing solution within.  Yours looks like it will permit you to put your hand

in, am I right?

Yes, this is the I think second incarnation of the Rotokeg - has a 4" dia neck so dead easy to get in there and give all the nooks and crannies a good scrub. The previous version (Beersphere?) which my brother had had I'm sure a oval opening with a clamp type lid operated by two levers and think it was prone to leakage and unwanted de-gassing.

Just Googled spares for mine and there's a plethora of online shops out there! Think I'll try this lot first:

http://www.copperkettlehomebrewing.co.uk/Rotokeg/456/rotokeg-washer-spares-pack?PHPSESSID=cf843242bc14ae66f3f538db2d4cd916

 

[binky]

I used to use a similar keg gadget, mostly becuase I got fed up with bottling everything. Bottles are slightly better in that there is less wastage, but keg had advantage you can pressurise with CO2 rather than add sugar, which means its drinkable quicker and clears faster, but you do tend to get slightly more wastage at the bottom of keg, as its hard not to stir up the yeast that falls to the bottom. Makes good slug-bait though!

 

[binky]

I like raspberry beer, framboise or whatever it is. Cherry is good too.

 

[OnOff]

OnOff - I know you like a bit of tinker pokery (like your solar heating project)

Brewing with the Raspberry PI

http://raspbrew.tumblr.com

Ta. Not for brewing but it's just given me an idea on the solar heating project and some other mad green energy idea I'm working on where I need temperature sensing/control and I might get a Pi on the back of it. So watch this space for another project I'll never start/finish!  :lol:

Back to the brewing, I've been dealing with this company in NZ for 15 years who make a "proper" personal brewery. No wonder every visit there involved copious amounts of the local brew Speights: 

http://www.farra.co.nz/productdetails.php?page=1&numproj=6

 

[NozSpark]

Impressive,,, but jeez, its messy and I hope those exposed terminals arent mains

 

[electro1]

Impressive,,, but jeez, its messy and I hope those exposed terminals arent mains

i was thinking that too!